Tire recommendation

cleach · Post by **cleach** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 4:38 pm

Just joined the site. I am purchasing a 2006 M4-180V. Maule Flight will be doing the annual/prepurchase inspection in the next 2 weeks and I hope to take delivery soon after. I have many questions but the first is on the tire recommendation. It has 7.00X6 on it. I will be doing 80% pavement basing and hopefully 20% off pavement but nothing too dramatic for a while. Strips like Dirty Devil, UT are my target skills for now. Most people seem to like the 8.5x6 or the 8.0x6. Is there a good compromise tire and tube you recommend for my application?

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 8:08 pm

Without going tundra tyres, go with Goodyear 8.50x6 which though costing more, are longer wearing than McCreary and hove only 4 grooves to throw rocks rather than the 8 grooves on McCreary.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 9:02 pm

i take it you are flying Utah... take it from me the baby bush wheel tail wheel is a must.... I know it is a bit expensive to some but the scott and Maule tailwheels are like having a pizza cutter on the tail in the soft sands of Utah... first bit of soft sand you hit will dig that tailwheel in..so even with small main tires you would do well to not get stuck with the fat tail wheel on....I bit the bullet and got mine and quickly sold my Scott 2 weeks later on Barnstormers...what a difference....

cleach · Post by **cleach** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:53 pm

Thanks for input so far. I found a guy with a set of used 26x12x6 bushwheels on Cleveland rims for $2800. He says they weren't used much. Does this sound like a good deal?

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:11 pm

for not much more you can go to 29 11 10's and have 10 inch wheels... and they will be new... talk to Wup...by the way... 26 6's will raise your nose the same as 8:50 10's which is another option.. my 29's give me 25 inches of prop clearance.....not to mention the fact that they last a lot longer than no tread bush wheels...

Andy Young · Post by **Andy Young** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:24 pm

Iceman,
How much does the baby bushwheels slow you down, vs. the stock Scott tailwheel?

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:14 pm

no slow down at all with the tail wheel ... can't say the same for the 29's though...

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:50 pm

By the time you buy the 26" ABW's for that price, purchase the aircraft specific STC to legally install, you could buy a brand new set of the 29" X 6" ABW's? Also you don't mention part numbers, but the 6" Clevelands may be useless to you... Your most reasonable deal would be the 8.50 Goodyears, or for a little more, the 26" blimp tires which would require field approval... With most work on asphalt, the ABW's 6" variety will wear out quickly except the 29" X 10" as mentioned by iceman. The ABW fat TW you will also find necessary in the deep dry sand....

That said, you'd probably be happy with the 8.50" Goodyears and saving funds for cost of baby bushwheel and the 29" X 10" with the 10" wheel kit...
I would suggest that with the 8.50's you stay out of the deep sand as it's pretty easy to end up upside down with the airplane!!

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:02 pm

geez just go to the 29 11 10's and baby bush wheel and be done with it... I am continually amazed by what the 29's absorb in rough strips....I used to be just like most on these sites... what's the best and cheapest... forget the cheapest cause if you are upside down on a dirt strip in the middle of nowwhere cheap is not worth much...I gave up looking for the best price long ago and asked Wup what was the best for me and the airplane regardless of cost... he was dead on and I am continually grateful to him...but do what you want...seems to me getting a STC and this and that for less than optimal performance to save a couple bucks is just a waste of time and in the long run money.....

cleach · Post by **cleach** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:08 pm

Thanks guys for the continuing food for thought.

mountainflyer · Post by **mountainflyer** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:39 pm

One critical item was missed in this blog and that is tire pressure. Although its not as critical with the ABWs it is with the 8.50 and the blimp 26s (and other tube tires) Lower the pressure too low and the tire can spin on the wheel and rip the valve stem off the tube. What is the lowest pressure? Not sure but I have the blimp 26s and put no less than 17 lbs in them, I have placed an indicator on the wheel and tire (just a painted straight line) which will tell me whether there has been any tire movement. At 17 lbs I haven't had any.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 7:48 am

the 29's can be anywhere from 9 to 12 depending on where you use them... I keep them at 11 on pavement and go down to 9 for dirt trips like the one next week....

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:36 am

I dont use pressure, I use bulge which is dependant on load and density altitude.
Starting with 8.50s for normal use on a Maule, the outer rib is barely contacting the tarmac at about 20psi, Ive run them at 12psi but my guess is that 14 might be better. You dont want to wack the rim on a rock.
Blimp tyres are much stiffer so 12 or even less should be good but again I eyeball.
If pressure is too low, a lot of drag on the ground is induced.

If the hubcap screw holes happened to go all the way through the rim, a sharpened longer screw could protrude into the tyre bead a quarter inch and the tyre will not slip at low pressure.

Make sure the calipers are on the front so a squeeged tyre at inside bottom cannot grab the caliper.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:23 am

I've seen 8.5's on some planes at my airport and they look pretty big.

We have discussed going to 8.5's for my mains and using a 7 on the front.

I'd like to do this but I'm concerned about clearance for my brake calipers, and if the stock brakes will be strong enough for the mechanical disadvantage of the larger wheels.

I assume the 7 will fit in the front fork and I use the same stock wheels...

How will this affect the stance? It seems to me it will sit nose down slightly on the ramp.

ALSO the different brands I look at seem to have vastly different sidewall and tread profiles.

pilot · Post by **pilot** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:29 am

maules.com wrote: If the hubcap screw holes happened to go all the way through the rim, a sharpened longer screw could protrude into the tyre bead a quarter inch and the tyre will not slip at low pressure.

I've been looking at this very thing......

Wheel thickness is about .4", tire bead (airtrac) is .550", so a 3/4" screw would be just fine. That is providing the screw holes went all the way through.

Doc, are you on 8.00's now?

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